The soft mist that curled through the tree roots was a calming one. It brought a playful smile to my lips, watching it snake over the moss and roll around the stones as I strolled deeper in the forest that was at my back door. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was left alone. Nobody had brought up my little 'visit' that I had last night, and Victoria had left for work quite sometime ago.
I couldn't decide whether it was some form of giddy, impatient, impulse that caused us to arrange our date as soon as possible, or that we weren't particularly fooling each other with our interests. We both liked each other and that was that. Maybe we felt some form of obligation to adhere to some kind of structure in regards to relationships and dating. In the movies, it's always three dates, kiss, then some heartfelt drama that almost ruins things, only to collide together in the throes of passion, and live happily ever after?
All I could feel was electricity at my fingertips. Like a burning static that caused my arms to go numb, my palms to sweat, and my chest to thump nervously. I could play-down the situation all I wanted, it wasn't going to change how incredibly nervous I was; and with almost an hour of walking, clambering over serpentine roots and slipping down muddied embankments, I came across a small patch of land.
It was beset by a small stream, a plaid cloth laid upon the soft earth, weighted by a wicker basket and the body of a grinning Aramis; who sat cross legged waiting, as he happily stared in my direction.
This little opening was framed in moss-laden trees, that rose up and curled over like a segregated wall, reaching it's branches to swing outwards. It was the middle of the day, and I could see fine, despite any form of raw sunlight finding it near impossible to pass through the canopy. It placed a secluded ambiance, locking in a comforting warmth to the area while blanketing it in hues of muted greens, browns, and greys.
I stepped down towards Aramis, hopping deftly over the stream. He jumped up to brace me should I have fallen, but didn't step any closer when he saw that I was fine.
We stood awkwardly for a moment, as the air was thick with a sudden atmosphere of confusion. We didn't know what to do now that we were alone. I could feel my hands bunch nervously, before Aramis shuffled forward, taking my right hand and bowing low with a smirk. Planting a kiss on the back of my palm, before rising with a grin that caused me to giggle.
"Welcome! To the finest luncheon you'll ever feast upon my dear sir!" He said gesturing to the wicker basket and blanket, an elegant flamboyance in every movement that only caused me to roll my eyes in response.
We sat down as he began placing all sorts of foods on to the blanket before us. Sandwiches, at least eight different types of fruits, three different types of drink, as well as a practical buffet's worth of finger food.
"That's... A lot of food" I chuckled, nervously sizing up the task of eating all this food and doubting my own appetite. He seemed a little taken aback for the slightest of moments before smiling again.
"Oh!" He proclaimed "Did I prepare too much? It's been sort of a long time since I've done... this" He said gesturing vaguely to the situation.
"What? Date?"
"What! No. Eat food" He said, his voice turning quieter towards the end as I looked at him inquisitively. "I, we, uh... Vampires don't really need to eat food. I mean we can! Of course we can. Just, there's not much point when your diet can exist solely off the one, easily obtainable substance that has everything you could ever need in it, ya know?"
"Oh, right. Got it." I laughed as he began to ramble, his own nerves beginning to show did wonders to calm my own, as I reached for one of the sandwiches taking a bite large enough to seem eager, but small enough to seem polite.
It was curious, as I watched Aramis do the same. He felt the sandwich between his fingers first, like he was working through every texture with touch, studying it thoroughly with his eyes like he was looking for the slightest hint of foul play. I paused eating my own food, as I watched him take a nervous gulp before bringing the sandwich up to his mouth.
His tongue slipped over his bottom lip before he took one, miniscule bite, chipping a piece off with his front teeth and pulling it back into his mouth.
His face went gaunt for a brief moment as he made almost fearful, eye contact with me. His eyes wide as his jaw moved to chew the sandwich in his mouth.
I was about to interject when I watched him swallow, albeit harshly.
"Are you okay? That looked like a struggle and a half. I've never seen a face go through so many emotions while eating a sandwich" I chuckled
"Yup! Tasty! Best sandwich ever" He said smiling, only earning an even more confused look on my face when there was the slightest hint of grey staining to his previously, sparkling white teeth.
"Um... Aramis? Your teeth?" I asked, pointing to my own, like they could be the same. He rubbed a finger against his teeth, pulling it out to look before wiping it on his jeans. He quickly reached over to grab a plastic cup and one of the bottles of drink. It smelt like lemonade as it hissed when he unscrewed the top, poured it, and took a big gulp. Making sure to swirl it around his teeth before swallowing, and smiling once more. Revealing them to be white once again, staring at me nervously.
"You can't eat food can you?"
"Not really..." He sighed defeatedly tossing his sandwich to the side. I couldn't help but feel a certain well of pity, spring up in my chest. But I dare not move to comfort him, despite wanting to. "For the briefest moment I can taste it though! It was good from what I got!" He said cheerily, perking up once he saw the unmistakable look of pity on my face.
"Why? How? Sorry... I don't mean to pry. Tell me to shut up if you want, that's totally okay for you to do, because I can be nosey sometimes. Too nosey for my own good." I began, hoping my dorkish rant would be enough to cheer him up a bit more, while also unashamedly looking to satisfy my own curiosity.
"Curse." He said meekly "Long, long time ago. Like a ridiculous amount of time. We were cursed so that pretty much anything that isn't a lover of the heart turns to ash in our mouths. S'okay though. There are other things than food, even if it does look so damn tasty"
"Thank you" I replied, causing him to look up. Curiously being pulled from his solemn look. "For sharing that with me" I scooched closer, hoping my proximity would comfort him somewhat. He didn't seem that beat up over it, I should imagine he'd had a lifetime to get over it. Apart of me was curious as to how old he actually was. Was this curse something that he was literally around to be afflicted with, or was it something that's just lingered with Vampirism as a whole? I knew very little of Vampires other than the odd rumour and their penchant for blood and other, otherworldly abilities.
But in that moment all my questions seemed to get pulled into an electric void by the very closeness that we were with each other. It felt like so much distance, these few inches, but also like everything else was fading out around us. The gentle trickle of the stream at my back, a white noise that began to mute as my eyes connected with the infinite depth of his own. The gentle caress of a soft breeze that had slithered through the trees, did nothing but prickle at the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck, making me increasingly aware of the heat of my own body.
My eyes fell to his lips daringly, before darting back to his eyes. I shuffled closer, gingerly closing the gap with an explosive sensitivity as he remained still. Like any movement too sudden or too quick would cause him to scamper off like some frightened animal.
Before I knew it, my lips were crashed against his in a frightening display of need, a slight moan escaping his mouth as my hands placed themselves on either side of his jaw, while his own gripped my hips. We fell on to his back, writhing and clawing at the pieces of clothing between us.
Our lips danced together, his tongue gently asking permission to enter before it dived in to duel with my own. The friction was driving me crazy as by his hand reaching beneath my shirt and up my back, I shuddered, melting into an embrace that felt so needy, and so hungry that it threatened to devour me whole. And I wanted it to.
I hummed sweetly against his mouth, my fingers bunching inbetween his chest and mine, it was all I could do to restrain myself as they danced coyly at the buttons of his shirt. My forehead was pressed against his, as we lay in a heavy hotness that seemed to cocoon our bodies in an aura of want and tempered fire. It burned sweetly, even as a laugh escaped the pair of us, while I rolled beside him.
"This is a good date" He hummed, happily staring up into the trees above.
"I'd like to think so" I giggled as I struggled to regain my breath. Frustratedly annoyed at the tightness that pushed against my jeans in an agonising defiance. "That was pretty hot..." I muttered.
"Well... We don't have to stop there.. do we?" He asked coyly, a dangerous grin setting about his teeth.
"No, I suppose not. It's just... I don't actually know." I sat up, cursing myself at a sudden display of awkwardness. "It would be my first time..." I whispered
"Really? After that performance you're going to convince me that it would be your first time?" He laughed sitting up to meet me.
"Well it's true..." I scowled "Look. I'm not opposed to it. Really, honestly, I really want to, you have no idea. And I am the last person to give in to that whole 'the first time should be special' kind of spiel, because fuck that. I just... Give it time?" I asked, not really knowing what to expect. Hating myself for what was happening right now. I'd never been one not to divulge in whatever wants and desire I had, or anyone else had for that matter. But what this boy made me think, feel and act, was confusing, and needy. Like I wanted nothing but him, and his shit-eating grin. I needed to process it more.
"Hey... It's okay, honest. I don't mind. We can just make out or--" He stops mid-sentence, snapping up right into a sitting position, before rolling a little forward so that it was more of a crouch. The fingertips of his right hand, just barely brushing the ground for balance. He looked alert suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, they glinted with the light of the moon as I watched in confusion at his ears that twitched ever so slightly, like they were tuning into some unheard noise.
"Aramis what's wro--" He cut me off with a wave of his hand as I too sat up, now a little uneasy at his behaviour.
"Somebody is coming" He whispered, yanking the picnic blanket out from underneath me and scooping up all the food and basket so that it was in one big sling while I scrambled to my feet. Still very confused.
"So? We're in The Witches Wood. We're safe here, I promise" I whispered reaching out to place a comforting hand on his bicep, he snapped his head in my direction in all seriousness, igniting a glint of worry within me.
It was strange, almost mesmerising staring at his eyes like this. They shimmered a silver-blue, glittering like fish scales at the scarcest mote of light that met them, giving them an appearance of a soft glow.
"Can you hide? Please. Can you hide us?" He asked, his voice tinged with a note of almost desperation but I didn't question it any further, only chewing at my bottom lip in nervousness.
The snapping of a twig struck me from the whirlpool of panicked thoughts that threatened to pull me under, as I focused on the twitching anxiety of Aramis. Breathlessly, I pushed him against a nearby tree.
"Don't move. Don't speak. Don't breathe if you can help it" I ordered, as I turned my back to him, pushing myself against him and the tree, I did my best not to let my mind wander at the intimate closeness we were both in as I spread my arms defensively outwards, as if I was shielding from anything getting passed.
I took a deep breathe, I could feel the tingling beginning to spark up my arms as the words began to drip from my lips in a practised rhythm, my eyes igniting ever so slightly as the air distorted gently in front and to our sides. Like pavement in the heat of midsummer, it was wavey and dizzying.
That was when they came in to view.
I recognised them both immediately, and I felt like Aramis did too as I felt him tense against my body, A silent mental prayer wished that he didn't move any further, his body so close to mine was distracting enough as it was, and if he was as serious as he sounded, the last thing I needed was to break concentration as I muttered the spell.
Stepping first into the opening was Flint. The Alpha's first-born, he was wearing much the same clothing as he was when he stormed into our house during the meeting. A dull green coat covering a grey tank top, that barely restrained the musculature of his chest. He deflty hopped down the embankment, despite landing heavily on his feet, he barely disturbed the soft dirt beneath his boots.
"They said they were here. Or at least one of them was. Fucking leech, can't wait to sink my teeth in to one of their flesh and rip them apart" He snapped with disgust, ejecting a glob of spit from his mouth into a nearby bush. Aramis tensed some more, and I heard a low rumble vibrate from his throat. A surge of panic rose forth from me as Flint perked up suspiciously from the noise as he looked back at his companion.
"So? Why can't we just leave them be? They seemed pretty cool when I went to their house party the other day" I almost choked on my own tongue as stepping into view, following the same steps as Flint, although he was much lighter in his movements; was Jace. His dirty blonde hair just long enough to shake rebelliously as he hopped down beside Flint, looking around the clearing curiously.
"Don't think I haven't forgotten about that either. Fucking disgusting. Can't believe you couldn't tell they were Vampires. Can't believe you drank with them either. Which is exactly why you're helping me out here, to make up for it."
"I never took you for a racist. They're just Vampires, it's not like the movies ya know. We're not predisposed to hate them or whatever. We don't get some "special sense" that tells us they're nearby either, I think you watch too much of that bullshit" Jace said nonchalantly, stepping along the side of the small stream as he lazily looked around the place for any evidence of, I'm assuming, us.
I was beginning to tire. Beads of sweat had begun to form across my brow, and dripped irritatingly down my nose as I continued to mutter the words to hide us, and remain focus. I could feel myself waning, a sense of panic and guilt bubbling up beneath my eyes as I would be letting Aramis down. I wasn't strong enough.
"Shut the fuck up" Flint snapped "They're disgusting, vicious, predators. They deserve to be wiped out, and I'm gonna help do it. Now shut up and search or I'll--"
"Wait..." Jace said as he crouched down towards the patch where me and Aramis had previously laid. He thumbed the soft dirt between his fingers, looking around with a frown. "Someone was here"
That made Flint shut up, as Jace rose to standing. Flint was tense, agitated with the anticipation of what might be ahead. My heart began to pound as Jace walked in our direction, straight towards the tree me and Aramis was pressed against. I began to falter as the thumping of my own chest started to blot out any sound that would reach my ears, causing my eyes to fade in and out with every cautious breath I took.
I almost jumped as I felt soft lips press reassuringly against the nape of my neck, causing a wave of goosebumps down my now sweat-ridden back. A surge of confidence bolstered in my legs as my fists clenched and I pushed on with the words. I could do this. I will do this. For Aramis if for no one else.
I didn't falter, even as Jace came within inches of my own face, taking in deep, sharp inhales through his nose.
"They must've left, probably through this way" He gestured back to Flint. "We'll never catch up to them now, maybe we should just leave it?" He grinned.
"No fucking way, let's go. Come on quickly" Flint ordered, scattering through the brush to the left of us. I watched as Jace rolled his eyes, sighing to the sky as he leaned his head back with an annoyed moan. "Jace!" Flint barked from the distance, causing Jace to grumble and take off in a light jog after his brother.
I held the spell for a few minutes after they had left, before dropping it, and myself. I fell to my knees in exhaustion, rubbing my jaw that ached from the constant exercise of muttering concentrated words.
I felt Aramis step around me, falling to his knees as he let the picnic drop to the ground beside us, and pulled me into his chest. It felt nice, calming. I breathed in the gentle musk of his scent, like winter-brushed pine trees with a hint of something mouth-wateringly sweet. I felt home. I placed a tired hand on one of his arms that was wrapped protectively around my neck, like he didn't want to let me go.
"That was amazing." He said, boyishly gushing at my performance. "Holy crap, did you make us invisible? That was the shit, I'm not gonna lie. That was so close!"
"No" I breathlessly chuckled "Invisible is close to impossible, not without making yourself blind anyway which is a whole other world of problems if you're not used to it."
"What? How is invisible impossible? What did you do then?" He questioned leaning back to look at my now weary face as I rubbed my eyes. Not entirely prepared to give a lesson in Witchcraft.
"In short? Physics. In order to be invisible, you've got to convince the light to somehow not bounce off of you. If it doesn't bounce off of you, it doesn't bounce of your eyes which is how you see things. Therefore, making you blind, assuming you can do that anyway. Much easier to simply "convince" their eyes and mind not to register something, which was what I did. Which was why it was so important that you not move or make a sound, anything that counts as an extra stimulus to their senses would let them know something was there. I got pretty good at it when I used to ditch school. But I'm clearly out of practice" I laughed, watching with slight embarrassment as Aramis hung on to my every word, like some school-child in awe of something.
"I didn't think science and Witchcraft were so compatible..."
"Well why wouldn't it be? Witchcraft is practically a science, and science is just another way of learning how everything works. Witchcraft is just a bit extra"
"You're amazing" He smiled sweetly, causing a smile to curl on my face sheepishly as he once again, caused me to blush. I found I couldn't turn away though, as his gentle fingers caught me by the chin and lightly pushed up so that I was facing the soft brown of his eyes once again, before he leaned in, giving me a sweetened kiss upon my lips, that while tamer than the ones we'd shared before; caused my heart to flutter all the same.
A/N: BOOM! Extra long chapter this time, which is why it took a little longer to come out. Bit of drama, bit more Witchy goodness this time too.
I hope you guys are enjoying it! Please consider voting and/or leaving a comment and let me know what you think! I'd really appreciate it x